Godfather Owl: Guardian of Batman [116]
The other candidates had long been overshadowed.
Now, the internet was divided into two factions: Team Starlight and Team Bruce.
Even public figures were being bombarded with questions, forced to choose between Starlight and Bruce.
What could they say? Most either played dead or stayed neutral.
In a dimly lit room, a glowing screen cast light on a pale face adorned with a painted-on smile.
"I've found you, Bruce!"
A sharp, eerie laugh escaped her lips as she stared unblinkingly at the screen.
On the screen, a clip of Bruce's interview was playing.
"I've always missed my parents. They were the people I loved most," Bruce said on screen. "So many times, I've dreamed of living with them again—just an ordinary life, carefree, happy every single day!"
Hearing this, Martha's expression wavered for a moment before regaining its resolve.
Stick to the plan. As long as the plan succeeds, Bruce can stay with me forever.
Martha repeated this to herself over and over.
But then, the interviewer's next question appeared—
"In your loneliest moments, who do you think of most?"
Without hesitation, Bruce answered, "My mother!"
He continued, "In my memories, I have this vague impression of a beautiful, beautiful woman. I believe she's my mom!"
Martha's hand tightened, crushing the armrest of her chair.
Even though she knew she couldn't afford any doubts, that face was undeniably Bruce's!
"Hah... hah..."
She exhaled heavily a few times, forcing herself to calm down.
"You filthy owl, I won't let you win!"
Her eyes burned with hatred and madness. If she could, she'd hunt down that owl hiding in the shadows and tear it apart!
But an owl was an owl, and Bruce was Bruce. They weren't the same!
Martha could never harm Bruce.
He was her child. If he suffered even a scratch, her heart would ache unbearably.
The interview ended, and Martha sat silently, clicking replay.
Next to the video, countless comments scrolled by.
"Bruce is so handsome!"
"Poor Bruce. He must really love his mom!"
Seeing these comments, Martha couldn't help but smile.
But the comments continued—
"Bruce, heh heh, my Bruce!"
"Poor little Bruce. I wouldn't mind being his mom!"
Martha's rising smile suddenly dropped.
"I bet Bruce's dad must've been a really upright person!"
"Yeah, Bruce is so polite. He must've been influenced by his dad as a baby!"
Martha's face darkened further. Thomas, upright? Please!
That man was a lunatic—a useless fool who couldn't even protect his son!
As Martha scrolled, a particularly jarring comment caught her eye.
"Bruce Wayne is such a loser! Ugly and useless! He must've made some dirty deal with Vought behind the scenes!"
"So what if he's rich? Can money buy him parents?"
Martha's expression instantly turned icy.
She clicked on the comment and saw it came from a throwaway account.
Her teeth clenched audibly.
Even knowing it was just a troll, she couldn't stop herself from furiously typing back:
"Did your whole family die or something? Who are you to insult Bruce?"
---
The online war intensified.
Fans from both sides had completely lost their rationality, and tensions were now irreconcilable.
Amidst all this chaos, the only real beneficiary was Vought International.
The fiercer the fan wars, the higher Vought's stock price soared.
Watching the ever-increasing vote tally, Vought's executives found themselves with a peculiar dilemma:
The initial price was set too low—just one dollar per vote.
They should've aimed higher.
But aside from pricing, there was another pressing issue:
Who should they choose between Starlight and Bruce?
Both candidates were raking in astronomical engagement numbers. Losing either felt like a waste.
If only they could keep both...
Bringing them both into the Seven would ensure endless buzz and storylines for the future.
Bruce was still young, which meant some topics couldn't be exploited yet, but if the fans initiated it, Vought wouldn't be to blame.
In the vice president's office, a small meeting was underway.
Madelyn Stillwell, the VP, addressed the gathered department heads.
"What are your thoughts on Starlight and Bruce?"
She continued, "Don't tell me to wait for the results—both of them must join the team!"
Madelyn hadn't anticipated this level of hype.
In truth, Starlight alone couldn't compete with Bruce—his popularity was simply too overwhelming.
But a landslide wasn't what Vought wanted. Besides, Starlight did have her own charm for attracting fans.
So Madelyn had given things a nudge. The video Starlight posted earlier? That was orchestrated by Madelyn, with Starlight's mother pressuring her into filming it.
Afterward, Vought heavily promoted Starlight to give her a fighting chance.
Even so, she only barely managed to tie with Bruce.
The silver lining was that Starlight had gained a fair number of genuine fans along the way.
Her popularity wasn't entirely fabricated.
One executive suggested, "Do we really need to stick to a seven-member team? Why not make it eight?"
"Good idea. Don't bring it up again," Madelyn immediately dismissed. "That would be as ridiculous as declaring two winners in a talent show. Are we, Vought, going to stoop for the sake of popularity?"
Of course, they would.
But they couldn't say that.
They had to at least pretend to be impartial.
Setting a precedent for dual winners would have long-term consequences.
Future competitions wouldn't generate the same level of heated debate and engagement.
"What about a duo?" someone else suggested. "Have Starlight and Bruce debut as a sibling duo?"
"Are you serious?" Madelyn snapped. "Their fans are at each other's throats. How could they possibly form a team?"
The room fell silent.
"Ugh!" Madelyn sighed. She'd brainstormed countless solutions but couldn't find one she was satisfied with.
Was it really this hard?
She wanted both golden geese. Surely there was a way to keep them both.
Just then—
A knock on the office door. Madelyn scowled. Who dared interrupt her meeting?
"Come in!" she barked.
The door opened, and her secretary, Ashley, entered nervously, holding a tablet.
Her face was pale, eyes filled with dread, as though she'd witnessed something horrifying.
"What is it?" Madelyn asked sharply. "Speak!"
"Ms. Stillwell…" Ashley's voice quivered, her eyes welling with tears. "I have bad news."
"Spit it out!" Madelyn's tone was icy.
With the Starlight-Bruce situation dominating her attention, everything else felt trivial.
"It's Translucent!" Ashley's voice cracked as tears spilled down her cheeks. "He's dead!"
For a moment, it felt like lightning struck Madelyn's brain.
She slammed the table. "That's great news!"
…Huh?
Everyone, including Ashley, stared at Madelyn in confusion.
"Ahem!" Madelyn cleared her throat. "I mean, how unfortunate. What happened?"
"We're still investigating," Ashley stammered. "But his body has been delivered to the company. Someone sent it directly to us."
"Bold!"
Madelyn realized the gravity of the situation.
Someone was openly provoking Vought, murdering one of their heroes and delivering the corpse to their doorstep.
This wasn't an ordinary criminal—it called for a serious response.
But first—
Madelyn thought for a moment. "Keep this under wraps. Starlight and Bruce's competition is still ongoing. We'll announce it on the final day."
By waiting until the last day to reveal Translucent's death, they could frame the vacancy as a sudden twist.
In such a scenario, the second-place candidate would gain the angle of seeking justice, adding another layer of drama for marketing.
Translucent, oh Translucent, Madelyn thought. Who knew you'd be so considerate?
Your greatest value lay in dying at just the right moment.
This was perfect timing!
"Let's go with that. You're dismissed," Madelyn said, her expression unchanged.
---
The heated election finally concluded.
In the end, Bruce secured a spot in the Seven, leaving Starlight's fans devastated.
They decried the result as rigged, demanding justice for Starlight.
But before they could act, good news arrived.
Due to Translucent's untimely death, there was now an open spot in the Seven.
Starlight automatically filled the vacancy!
At last, everyone was satisfied.
---
Bruce stepped out of the car, walking down the red carpet.
The flashes of countless cameras lit up his path as reporters shouted for his attention.
This was the welcome party for the newest members of the Seven: Bruce and Starlight.
Starlight walked beside him.
"I'm sorry, Bruce," she said softly. "That video—it wasn't my idea. My mom forced me to do it."
Bruce nodded, keeping his smile intact as he waved to the press.
Did it matter whether it was her idea or not?
After a brief speech, they embarked on their new lives as superheroes.
The veteran members of the Seven welcomed them warmly.
"Bruce."
Queen Maeve approached with a friendly smile. "Let me show you around the company. Get you familiar with everything!"
---
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